Expert: Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT - 4/20/2008

Question
there is a large pitbull next door that gets really angry any time anyone goes near his fence or looks at him. I want desperately to make friends with the dog so i can pet him through the fence. i keep feeding him and hes cool while i feed him but as soon as i stop he gets mad even after i feed him alot. I dont want to talk to the neighbor people, i just want to find a trick to make him like me so i can pet him. its okay if it take several months to accomplish this. just what can i do on a regular basis? Please help!!!

Answer
You may not like my answer, but I would not interact with someone else's dog in this way without the owner's permission.  The owner may have the dog on all organic food, and not appreciate someone passing him a snausage through the fence.  Or, the dog may have allergies and the owner doesn't want him to have chicken, or soy, or some other ingredient.  They may also not appreciate what the dog is learning from this experience, whether positive or negative (no one said they are good owners, just that it's their dog, and you really have no business patting or feeding it).  Sorry if that wasn't what you wanted to hear, but it needed to be said.  If you crave canine companionship, and don't have a dog of your own, I bet there are many shelters who would value a kindhearted person like you who would want to pat, walk, feed, or clean up after, the shelter dogs;-))